Lock for fire extinguishers



Nov. 12, 1940. A. CHARNOCK LOCK FOR FIRE EXTINGUISHERS Filed April 27, 194p INVENTOR. C/me/voc/a Patented Nov. 12, 1940 PATENT OFFICE LOCK FOR FIRE exnnomsnms I Arnold Charno'ci'k, WestLNewBrighton, Staten Island, N. Y.

Application April27, 1940, SerialNo. 332,011 It Claims. (01. 1c9--2) "This invention relates to improvements in looking devices and has particular reference to alock for portable fire extinguishers-such as used as part of the equipment of motor vehicles.

An object of the invention isto avoid 'the surreptitious removal of a fire extinguisherfrom a motorvehicle by providing an improved locking apparatus of simple and practical construction which will permit of I an extinguisher being locked under the control of an'electrical'circuit in such manner that only a closure of such circuit will enable the extinguisher to be released.

The above and other objects will appear more clearly from the following detailed description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawing which illustrates a preferred embodiment of the inventive idea.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section through a locking device constructed in accordance with the invention, and showing a portable fire extinguisher supported on said device in locked position.

Figure 2 is an elevational View, partly in section, showing the locking device and part of the control therefor.

Figure 3 is a horizontal section taken substantially on the line 33 of Figure 1, and

Figure 4 is a diagrammatic view illustrating an electrical circuit for controlling the locking device.

The device of the present invention is especially adapted for supporting, in a locked position, a

fire extinguisher, generally indicated by the numeral 5, which may be of any standard construction and of the type used as part of the equipment of a motor vehicle for extinguishing fires therein.

In accordance with the present invention, the extinguisher is adapted to be normally locked to a support and the locking means for the extinguisher is placed under the control of an electrical circuit which may be the ignition circuit of the motor vehicle. A locking device of this character is especially useful on trucks or other such vehicles where the driver more or less frequently has to leave the same during a parking period, and is designed so that during such periods, the extinguisher cannot be removed from the support without access to the usual ignition switch by means of the customary key therefore. In other words, when the ignition key is removed from the switch and the circuit is opened, the extinguisher remains locked to its support and cannot be detached therefrom until said circuit is closed.

The support for the extinguisher 5 is generally indicated by the numeral 6 and may take the form of an elongated, relatively narrow frame stamped from sheet metal or the like and provided intermediate its ends with struck-in portions I which are adapted to be secured, by bolts 8, to a suitable support 8a where it will be readily accessible in case of emergency.

At its lower end the frame or support 6 has a curved arm or bracket '9 extending therefrom and provided with a single aperture II] adapted to receive the nozzle end of the extinguisher ii. At the upper end, a similar arm I I projects laterally from the support and is bifurcated at its outer or free end as indicated at I2 to receive the extension I3 of the extinguisher 5. At a point on the body of the extinguisher preferably adjacent its upper end, the same is provided with a locking member I4 in the form of an angular plate one portion of which extends laterally from said body through an aperture IS in the support 8 and into a housing I6 formed on said support by means of the casing II positioned between the outer wall of the support 6 and the support 8a. In the locked position of the extinguisher, a vertically movable detent l8 mounted within the housing I6 has its lower end projecting through an opening l9 formed in the locking member M and as long as said detent remains in this position it will be apparent that the extinguisher cannot be detached from its support.

When the locking device is placed under the control of an ignition circuit of a motor vehicle, as herein illustrated, the detent l8 forms the armature of an electromagnetic device 20 included in a branch 21 of the ignition circuit, generally indicated by the numeral 22, the latter circuit having therein the ignition switch conventionally shown at 23. In the branch 2| of said circuit there is included an auxiliary switch 24 which is mounted on a side of the support 6 and which is employed for the purpose of maintaining the branch circuit 2I open under normal conditions so that the electromagnetic device 2|] will not be energized and the detent l8 will therefore remain in its locking position.

Assuming that the ignition switch 23 is closed and it is desired to release the extinguisher 5 from its support, the auxiliary switch 24 need only be thrown to close an obvious energizing circuit for the device 22 which will then raise the detent I8 from its operative or looking position to one in which the detent will be withdrawn from the opening l9 in the locking member 14,, whereupon the extinguisher may be detached from its support and put into use.

What is claimed is:

1. The combination with an ignition circuit of a motor vehicle including switching means in said circuit; of a fire extinguisher having a looking member, a support for said extinguisher, and means under the control of said switching means and cooperating with said locking member to lock said extinguisher to said support and unlock the same therefrom.

2. The combination with an ignition circuit of a motor vehicle including switching means in said circuit; of a fire extinguisher having a locking member, a support for said extinguisher, and

a magnetically operated detent controlled by said switching means to engage said locking member and disengage therefrom.

3. The combination with an ignition circuit of a motor vehicle including switching means in said circuit; of a fire extinguisher having a looking member, a support for said extinguisher, an electromagnetic device in said circuit, and an armature therefore constituting a detent engageable with said locking member, when said circuit is open at said switching means, to lock said extinguisher to said support.

4. The combination with an ignition circuit of a motor vehicle including an ignition switch; of

an electromagnetic device in said circuit, a sec- 0nd switch for said device also in said circuit, a fire extinguisher having a locking member, and

a detent controlled by said electromagnetic device for movement into and out of operative engagement with said locking member, the control of said detent by said device being such that the detent will engage said locking member when either of said switches is open.

5. The combination with an ignition circuit of a motor vehicle including switching means in said circuit; of a fire extinguisher having a locking member, a support for said extinguish-er, and means to engage said locking member to lock said extinguisher to said support, said means being controlled by said circuit in such manner that it will remain operative as long as said switching 

